Diversity is “the practice or quality of including or involving people from different social and ethnic backgrounds and different genders, sexual orientations, et cetera…”. Studying diversity is a great way to learn how to own your individuality while appreciating and understanding that which makes others different from ourselves. The study of diversity allows you to be a one in a million kind of person, while able to the other 999,999 people as themselves and understand their point of views. Understanding where one comes from is the key to understanding where one is going. It is a continual track based on behaviors, learned or inherent, that we move forward with our beliefs.
Through the study of diversity, we can gain perspective, acceptance, diminish discrimination, become more worldly, become more productive, and live richer fuller lives. When we hear another’s story it shows us an insight to a life different than our own. This provides us a new viewpoint, a better understanding. When we compare and contrast our hardships, successes and values, we begin to understand where others are coming from. In talking to someone with different opinions and values it can help us grow and change our mindset and values, or at least we will appreciate each other’s points of view.
Studying diversity is a way to encourage us to not just “tolerate,” but to true accept other people and their beliefs. Through exposure to these new experiences and ways of thought we may be able to see we have more in common than we originally thought. We may also find we are extremely different. There is nothing wrong with these differences because as we increase our understanding of what makes us unique, we can alter our perspectives, build acceptance, and lessen the misunderstandings and prejudgments that incite discrimination.
By studying diversity, we can find that our differences make us a stronger, fuller, deeper community. Through the continued study of diversity, we can show the importance of our differences, even in the face of prejudice, judgement, and viciousness, diversity can help pave the path between appreciation that which divides us to that which unites us.
